Tag Archives: Citi

We saw baseball in all its beauty last night, Dramatic and building tension; rallies; questionable decisions; and mistakes made by the athletes. And, pure athleticism.

We also saw the continuation of the long debate of power vs. speed, with speed winning. Six stolen bases trumping two home runs.

We all saw why baseball is still the greatest game, and for those in authority clamoring about the length of the games, could you please just shut up, go away and appreciate what you have and understand most of that tinkering is a waste. Tell me every minute wasn’t compelling.

And, for those saying all the Mets need is more power, I hope you were taking notes. The Mets hit 30 more homers than Kansas City, which hit a major league low 95 – the only team with fewer than 100. However, even with that deficit, the Royals generated 22 more runs, or roughly three more a month.

And, the Royals played in the league with the designated hitter.

Where Kansas City had it way over the Mets offensively was in a higher slugging percentage – which incorporates doubles – a higher batting average, a slightly higher on-base percentage, and struck out a whopping 279 fewer times.

That’s roughly six fewer a game, or two more innings on not touching the ball and subsequently making a productive out by moving a runner into scoring position. The Mets also left more runners on base.

This isn’t to say power isn’t important, just that it isn’t as vital of playing small ball, of using speed to manufacture runs. Hustling for runs usually puts more pressure on the defense than mashing.

The Royals rallied twice Tuesday night in the late innings to advance in the playoffs while playing in a smaller park. Meanwhile, the Mets are sitting home again figuring how much closer they should bring in the fences.

Citi Field was built with the idea of having a team concentrate on pitching, speed and defense. Actually, speed and defense win in all sports.

The Mets today denied they are considering changing their skyline logo after fans on Twitter reported a minor alteration on the club’s social media accounts.

Reportedly, the silhouette of the UN Headquarters to the far right of the baseball logo was replaced with the Citigroup Center and its slanted roof.

The Mets receive $25 million a year for naming rights.

The Mets are within their rights to change their logo, but doing so would be a mistake. Perhaps not on the level of, say, New Coke, but still a mistake.

Mets’ fans are a proud and loyal bunch that cherishes the 53-year history of the team that drives them nuts. They were legitimately concerned and angry when Citi Field opened with more a Brooklyn Dodgers’ presence than the Mets.

Changing the logo is akin to tampering with the team’s history, and that’s something ownership apparently doesn’t understand … or ignores.

Based on the outcry on Twitter, the fallout from a logo change would be long and loud.

And deservedly so.

INJURY UPDATES: Reliever Vic Black and a mild rotator-cuff strain in his right shoulder and won’t throw for at least five days.

Although I don’t know why, they should just shut him down for the remainder of the season. It’s not like they will learn anything new.

Also, the news isn’t good for Jeremy Hefner, who could undergo a second Tommy John surgery.

WRIGHT NOMINATED: David Wright was nominated by the Mets for MLB’s annual Roberto Clemente Award, which honors the player for his off-the-field contributions.

Here’s part of the Mets’ nominating letter to MLB:

“He launched the David Wright Foundation in 2005 to provide aid and assistance toward the health, emotional development and education for children in need in New York City and his hometown of Norfolk, Virginia.

Over the past five years, the foundation has expanded its scope and raised more than $600,000 for a variety of charitable organizations, including the United States Marine Corps’ Toys For Tots, the Ronald McDonald House, the Virginia Tech Memorial Scholarship Fund, the Police Athletic League and the Patrolman’s Benevolent Association — a tribute to his police-officer father — as well as the Make-A-Wish Foundation, for whom David hosts children at Citi Field on a regular basis.

David has been a leader in his adopted hometown of New York City ever since putting on a Mets uniform. Every season, David visits a firehouse around the anniversary of Sept. 11 to recognize our fallen heroes and offer support to the hard-working members of the FDNY. He has spread good cheer to Sept. 11 families during Tuesday’s Children visits to Citi Field.

After Hurricane Sandy devastated New York, David donated $250,000 through his foundation to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance NYC to help the city recover and rebuild. He toured Staten Island communities that were hit hard by the storm and visited students at a local elementary school along with the New York City School Chancellor.

Inspired by the men and women working to rebuild their communities, David launched The Wright Thing in 2013 to honor and recognize volunteers who made an extraordinary impact on the lives of individuals and organizations impacted by Hurricane Sandy. Each month that season, David met with individuals who dedicated time and effort to help their fellow New Yorkers in need. The honorees received an autographed miniature third base and VIP tickets behind third base. They also had the chance to install third base with the grounds crew and had their story told through a video tribute on Citi Vision.

The Wright Thing has continued this year, with Wright saluting heroes from the New York City Police Department. The initiative underscores David’s admiration of law-enforcement personnel as his father, Rhon, served in the Norfolk Police Department for 30 years before retiring as assistant police chief in January.’’

At 7:59 PM on Thursday night, during the Subway Series finale at Citi Field, righthander Jacob deGrom stroked a single off Chase Whitley of the Yankees to snap the 0-for-64 hitless streak by Mets pitchers.

The former college shortstop lined one in front of center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury to put runners on first and third.

The Mets fateful greeted him with a standing ovation as he stood at first base, probably unaware of what had just transpired.

I am an avid Rolling Stones fan. Have all their albums, know most of their songs by heart and saw them numerous times in concert, including twice at Shea Stadium in 1989.

Mets and Stones the same age.

It was a tremendous show, with 50,000-plus fans singing “Ruby Tuesday,’’ in unison, and I mean every word, not just the refrain.

I noticed they are trending Saturday on Yahoo.

Why?

Because they performed the other day in the Middle East – Abu Dhabi, to be exact in front of 30,000 fans. It was kind of surprising news considering the political climate of the area and the Stones’ reputation.

One article said they were formed in 1962, which rang a significant bell because that was the year the New York Mets were born. That means the Stones and Mets are the same age.

Amazing.

The Mets won’t be able to get Mick and Keith this summer at Citi Field, but that isn’t to say they might not be able to snag a Rolling Stones tribute band.

Ike Davis’ father, former Yankees reliever Ron Davis, has ripped into the New York Mets. The elder Davis said the Mets screwed up handling his son, which, while correct on some levels, can’t make things any easier for Ike if he stays with the team.

Ron Davis is correct, but partially.

RON DAVIS: Wrong in attacking Mets

Yes, he’s correct in that this began not with the Mets’ intent to trade Ike Davis, but for how public they made it.

“I think that’s why the Mets have really screwed up in that situation – because they’ve publicly done it so much,’’ Ron Davis said. “It’s saying to my son, `Hey, we don’t want you anymore.’ ’’

Well, yes and no.

The issue isn’t what it said about Ike Davis, but in what it tells other teams, `We don’t want Ike Davis, but please take him off our hands.’

The first rule in making a trade is to not devalue the talent you’re trying to unload. If you don’t think the player is worth anything, then why would other teams?

Another rule is to understand the value of the talent you’re trying to deal and don’t go in with the idea of fleecing the other team. The teams the Mets were talking to, notably Milwaukee, said GM Sandy Alderson’s asking price – the Brewers’ fifth starter – was too high.

So, the Mets did not want Davis and then asked for too much. But, that isn’t the whole story with how the Mets mishandled Davis.

With Ike Davis coming back from the ankle injury and the virus, the Mets might have rushed him back in 2012. Despite a horrid first half, the Mets didn’t send him back to the minors to work on his mechanics. Instead, they kept him around, a gamble that paid off when he had a strong second half to finish with 32 homers.

IKE DAVIS: Needs to learn to hit.

He was even more lost last year, but despite all signs saying Davis needed to go to the minors, the Mets ignored them in the hope of another strong second half. Long after it became apparent Davis was lost at the plate was when they sent him down. Then, they clearly brought him back too soon, which only compounded their mistake.

Alderson also screwed up by not having a defined objective for Davis after the season. Alderson had enough of a sampling of Davis to know what he should do.

That he didn’t want him was clear in the effort to trade him, but that intent should have been understated and with a lower asking price. By this time, teams were waiting out the Mets in hope they would release him. However, Alderson was playing chicken holding out for more.

Then, Alderson blew it more by offering Davis arbitration. Why would they do that for a player they clearly didn’t want?

While the Mets blew it on several levels with Ike Davis, I would be remiss in not calling out Ron Davis on a few things.

OK, you’re unhappy with how the Mets handled your son. Anybody can see that, but ripping the Mets does nobody any good, especially your son. The last thing a major league player needs is to have a Little League father upsetting things in the papers and clubhouse. What could the other players be thinking You want to rip the Mets? Fine. Do it after he’s out of the organization.

Secondly, don’t blame Citi Field for your son’s troubles. His problem is not with the ballpark, but his approach to hitting. Quite simply, he doesn’t know how to hit.

His comment last spring that, “I’m a home run hitter. I like to hit home runs. Strikeouts come with that,’’ tells you all you need to know about Ike Davis as a hitter.

Ron, you were a big league pitcher. Are you telling me you can’t look at your son’s hitting approach and say how you would attack him? C’mon. If you really wanted to help him, you’d study the video and tell him he needs to be more patient, he needs to stop trying to pull everything, he needs to use Citi Field to his advantage and hit balls in the gaps.

That’s how you would help your son. Not by being a Little League father. Ike Davis doesn’t need your coddling; he needs tough love.

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